Is the RFL, with its licensing criteria, helping both Super League and the Championship?

By promising that one Championship club will be promoted in 2012 if it passes certain criteria, which includes a 12,000 capacity stadium, including some covered seating, the RFL has forced the ambitious non-SL clubs to improve their grounds or build new grounds.

Of course most of those grounds will never be used for Super League because one or at most two Championship clubs will make their way into Super League. So have the clubs unsuccessful in getting a SL license wasted their money and time?

Not at all. Thiis upgrading of stadia is very important for the public image of rugby league if the Championship is being televised every week. It will also help the club's gate receipts over the long term.

At the same time the stadium criterion is obviously very important for Super League clubs which are all going to be on television for at least one game a year. Moreover they too need to attract big crowds if they are to be successful businesses.

So the RFL has imposed a licensing rule that will help all clubs, regardless of their division.

Hopefully it will offer the same promotion incentive in 2015. However if it does so, it may have to contemplate expanding the number of Super League clubs to 16 then, because the clubs that get licenses for 2012 may all have satisfied all the SL criteria in 2014.

The slack Championship clubs, like Barrow, which have not yet provided an adequate stadium, will have to get their stadium improved or rebuilt if they want to ever be taken seriously for Super League.

If we assume that St Helens, Salford and Toulouse can get new or massively renovated stadia built by 2012, then the 2012 Super League lineup will look very attractive to the potential live spectators and to the TV audiences:

WiganSt HelensWarringtonWidnesSalford

LeedsBradford *HuddersfieldHull FCHull KR *

CrusadersHarlequins

Les CatalansToulouse

In this case only Bradford and Hull KR will have unattractive, though marginally adequate, functional, stadia.Both these clubs will be looking to improve their stadium in order to keep up with the other clubs.

On the other hand the Championship clubs will have more incentive to improve along the lines of Leigh or Halifax.The likely lineup is:

WakefieldCastlefordFeatherstone

HalifaxLeighBatleyBarrow

SheffieldDewsbury Keighley

HunsletOldham

Much work on improved stadia will need to be done by most of these clubs.

Unless there is a news event, then the thread is usually someone's opinion.

Haven't you noticed?

I think it's disrespectful that you claim Batley's ground need's redevelopment. It is more than adequate for what we need right now and probably always will be. There are probably other clubs you have mentioned which will take offence.

Infact i think this thread just rubs salt into the wounds as you seem smug on Toulouse making the super league!!

I think it's disrespectful that you claim Batley's ground need's redevelopment. It is more than adequate for what we need right now and probably always will be. There are probably other clubs you have mentioned which will take offence.

It is not yet up to Super League standard. It would take a lot of money to make the necessary improvements.

QUOTE (LINNERS @ Aug 4 2010, 02:20 PM)

Infact i think this thread just rubs salt into the wounds as you seem smug on Toulouse making the super league!!

I am a bit smug on that perhaps. But I am sure that licensing Toulouse is the right decision for the long term good of the game in the northern hemisphere.

I think it's disrespectful that you claim Batley's ground need's redevelopment. It is more than adequate for what we need right now and probably always will be. There are probably other clubs you have mentioned which will take offence.

Infact i think this thread just rubs salt into the wounds as you seem smug on Toulouse making the super league!!

Probably worth mentioning at this point that a poll of favourite away trips for fans of Championship clubs would probably feature our good friends from Batley at the top.

Widnes Vikings RLFC - We were better than you ever will be!!!!!

Sky Sports wrote about the Widnes Vikings:

with the RFL having pledged to conditionally award a licence to a Championship club, it would be a surprise if they do not succeed.

The RFL wrote about Widnes Vikings RLFC:

it is surely now only a matter of time before Widnes are back in the big time.

If we assume that St Helens, Salford and Toulouse can get new or massively renovated stadia built by 2012, then the 2012 Super League lineup will look very attractive to the potential live spectators and to the TV audiences:

WiganSt HelensWarringtonWidnesSalford

LeedsBradford *HuddersfieldHull FCHull KR *

CrusadersHarlequins

Les CatalansToulouse

In this case only Bradford and Hull KR will have unattractive, though marginally adequate, functional, stadia.Both these clubs will be looking to improve their stadium in order to keep up with the other clubs.

On the other hand the Championship clubs will have more incentive to improve along the lines of Leigh or Halifax.The likely lineup is:

WakefieldCastlefordFeatherstone

HalifaxLeighBatleyBarrow

SheffieldDewsbury Keighley

HunsletOldham

Much work on improved stadia will need to be done by most of these clubs.

I take it, that to have such an input on ground improvements you have visited all of these grounds and not just made the assumption from the camera angle you watch from whilst sat on your le canape.

Cheers pal, was a good final at Blackpool as well!! I dont understand why that idiot thinks a team like Batley has to improve their stadium for super league when they won't even let us in.

It's the absolute trooooth mate. Was a good day indeed. If all clubs worked on their match day experience like Batley a few more fans might be attracted back through the gates. Too many haves dissing the have nots these days.. franchising ripped the soul out of this sport.

Widnes Vikings RLFC - We were better than you ever will be!!!!!

Sky Sports wrote about the Widnes Vikings:

with the RFL having pledged to conditionally award a licence to a Championship club, it would be a surprise if they do not succeed.

The RFL wrote about Widnes Vikings RLFC:

it is surely now only a matter of time before Widnes are back in the big time.

Of course most of those grounds will never be used for Super League because one or at most two Championship clubs will make their way into Super League. So have the clubs unsuccessful in getting a SL license wasted their money and time?

Not at all. Thiis upgrading of stadia is very important for the public image of rugby league if the Championship is being televised every week. It will also help the club's gate receipts over the long term.

So the RFL has imposed a licensing rule that will help all clubs, regardless of their division.

The slack Championship clubs, like Barrow, which have not yet provided an adequate stadium, will have to get their stadium improved or rebuilt if they want to ever be taken seriously for Super League.

Slack clubs like Barrow........You Sir are a ######wit of the highest order....F.A.C.T

Do you have even a remote idea how far BRLFC has progressed in the last few years ?

Barrow have increased our support in the last 4 seasons but have hit the wall this season with next to no visiting fans & a few less homers as they say whats the point "its a closed shop"

Barrow have re-development plans but can not implement these plans on Championship finances & crowds.

Half the current SL sides have a 10 yrs plus on the gravy train yet have not managed to achieve this, yet the RL expect championship clubs to be able to do this on a TENTH of the monies the SL sides recieve ?????Which mean prudent clus get penilized for keeping solvent but not rich enough to pay for all these newer developments, should be go into massive DEBT TO ACHIEVE THESE REQUIREMENTS then dont get excepted only to bankrupt ourselves for trying ?????????

We have the best lottery outside of SL & Even better than several SL Clubs.

We have announced we are totally revamping the Youth, Academy, Reserve structures next season, this years non 1st team has been neglected as we strive to put a good product on the field to bring in the match day revenue.we have tons of kids at haven & wukkie academys who would love to play for their home town club instead of the 3.5 hour round trips up the coast 3 times per week at their parents expence.

If we were a SL club the best of the west cumbrian yoof would then travel down to us to be the best in the area, so we could draw all the talent from the whole of Cumbria.

We have SEVERAL Barrow kids at Saints, Wire, Leeds who could very easily be loaned out to Us as we establish ourselves in the SL & THE OTHER CUMBRIAN SL kids would probably do likewise to gain valuable experience.

You can not go from the bottom of Div 2 to challenging for SL OVERNIGHT .......you walk before you can run.